One by One
by vt
Summary: A very short and a bit fluffy story. A few of Harry's letters to Ginny while away at war. post HBP.


**A/N:** If you want to get the mood of the story I strongly recommend that you listen to the song "**One by One**" by Wilco and Billy Bragg. It was originally written in 1939 by Woody Guthrie. I think it is an awesome song. The lyrics are beautiful. It reminded me of a man in war writing to his sweetheart when I first heard it. I was reading fan fic one night listening to Billy Bragg and this song came on and inspiration hit. I hope you like it.

**One by One**

_**One by one the teardrops fall as I write to you**_

_**One by one my words come falling on the page**_

_**One by one my dreams are fading in the twilight**_

_**One by one my schemes are failing fast away**_

_October 12_

_Ginny,_

_I've finally found some time away from Ron and Hermione to write you this letter. I miss you, Ginny. And I want to tell you that I've been dreaming of you a lot lately — they are **brilliant** dreams, the kind that makes me glad that Ron's no Legilimens. I wish that I could keep the image of you from my dreams with me when I wake up. But whenever I do, I've found that they've already faded away._

_Since I last saw you, I've spent my days researching and looking for ways to reach our goal. The search has taking us on lots of winding paths that have either lead us to forks in the road, or in vicious circles that only bring us back to where we started in the first place. Then, of course, there are the days when we cross some Death Eaters' paths, and on those days, we try to stay well-hidden and not get captured. There have been times, though, when I lost my temper, thinking that I'd seen Snape or Draco and then going after them. Luckily enough, I came to my senses just in time to stop whichever Death Eater it was and escape._

_Still…_

_Gin, I'm starting to feel lost, and I know that it's because you're so far away. I miss you so much, Ginny. I miss our walks, I miss your laughter, and I miss your smiling face. And Dumbledore— he once told me that it's my heart that's gonna save me, but more often than not, my heart feels like it's miles and miles away, and that no matter what I try or do, no matter what I scheme or plan, I can't shake the feeling that I'm simply just going to **fail**…_

_Have I ever personally told you that you're beautiful, Ginny? (Because you are, you know.)_

_Do you remember Dumbledore's funeral, when I first told you goodbye? I do. I saw then how you understood that I've got to do what I've got to do alone, but you have to know, Ginny, that leaving you behind was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. It was like… like all of the dreams I'd just started to create were being snuffed out like a flame… like all of my plans were for nothing. _

_Merlin… Where do I go from here, Gin?_

_I'm starting to believe that you're my heart… my everything._

_**One by one the flowers fade here in my garden**_

_**One by one the leaves are falling from the trees**_

_**One by one my hopes are vanished in the clouds dear**_

_**One by one like snowflakes melting in the breeze**_

_November 23_

_Gin,_

_The holidays are near and even though the snow is slowing us down, we've finally made our way to Godric's Hollow. I never thought I'd actually see the place where it all began._

_It's amazing, really: when I walk out onto the land where the house once stood, I can see flashbacks of my mum protecting me. In the back, there's this small shed that's somehow still standing after all these years, and we're using it for shelter. When I look out of its small window, I can see the garden that my mother planted. There are still actually some flowers peeking out of the snow (I guess they'd been Charmed or something)._

_All the same, though, and in spite of the flowers, I can't get around the fact that there's still the old house crumbled to the ground, and just looking at it seems to make what little hope I have of succeeding just… dissipate. It seems so desolate, Gin. Ron and Hermione gave me some time to visit my parent's graves this morning. I don't know what I was really anticipating, but when I left, I just felt so hopeless. I guess I was expecting some miracle or something, or maybe some answers as to how love will conquer all. Instead, all I got was this empty feeling in my chest._

_The day of Bill and Fleur's wedding, when you told me that we weren't breaking up and that you'd wait for me forever if you had to, was the happiest day of my life. I wish you were here with me, and I'm so sorry that I ever had to leave you. The only light in my day is knowing that you're safe at Hogwarts._

_And speaking of Hogwarts, don't be surprised that McGonagall's gonna be giving you my letters from now on. It's too dangerous to owl now, so I've asked her to pass my letters onto you: she's there if you need to reach me, too. And Ginny, don't accept any letters from anyone other than your family, Hermione or McGonagall — there may be Portkeys or some type of curse trapped inside._

_Stay safe, Gin._

_Love,_

_Harry_

_**One by one my hair is turning grey**_

_**One by one my dreams are fading fast away**_

_**One by one I read your letters over**_

_**One by one I lay them all away**_

_Jan 1_

_Happy New Year, Ginny!_

_You'll never believe me when I tell you what I've gotten from Father Christmas: he left me some of his silver hair!_

_When I finished opening my presents, I went to the loo and looked in the mirror — my hair had gone gray. Apparently, Fred and George decided that I needed to look older. They Charmed my yearly Weasley jumper, so that once I put it on, my hair would turn silver. I found a note at the bottom of the wrapping that said, "No Death Eater would take a young bloke like you seriously", so they took it upon themselves to age me a bit. Hermione tried every counter charm she knew to remove the silver. She hasn't found anything yet. It seems that they're here to stay, I guess._

_Or, at least, until I see Fred and George next._

_Hermione says that she doesn't understand how they didn't achieve more than three OWLs, because they truly are gifted wizards. You should see what they've done for the war effort; it's amazing. I actually saw a Death Eater cramped up with stomach problems so bad that he couldn't even shoot a hex (he probably had too much **U-No-Poo** or something). Anyhow, we were able to capture him and get him to the Ministry for questioning._

_Over the past few days, I've found that the best and worst parts of my day are when I can read your letters over and over. I guess it makes me feel closer to you… no, I **know **it does, because I can almost smell you sitting near me. Have I ever told you that I love your flowery scent? I can smell it on all of your letters. That's how I know I can't ever be fooled, Gin — no one can duplicate your scent._

_Then the time comes that I have to put your letters away again, and the feeling of hopelessness come back to me. God…_

_I miss you, Ginny, so much. I hope to come out of this alive, just so I can see you again._

_Harry_

_**One by one the days are slipping up behind you**_

_**One by one the sweetest days of life go by**_

_**One by one the moments stealing up behind you**_

_**One by one she'll come and find not you or I**_

_April 13_

_Gin,_

_I'm sorry if I've made you fret about me; you're probably been wondering if I'm dead or alive. We've been laid up for a few months. And we're down to the last two items in our search: the snake and the locket. I hope that we find them soon._

_The days seem to be slipping up behind me all of a sudden. It's like the time that we had together last year was so long ago, and that's a shame, because those were the best days of my entire life. Every moment of every day we shared then has been imprinted in my mind forever, because now that it seems like my time's coming to an end, I'm scared that I'll never see you again. And if that's the case, Ginny, then I just want you to know that I love you, and that I'll always love you. If I survive this, it's because of you. Your love is what I need to get through this. YOU are what made me._

_And I've never got to thank you for everything you've ever done for me! Well, thank you, Ginny, for never giving up hope on me. Thank you for telling me that at Dumbledore's funeral. Fate has a way of finding us eventually, and mine is a fate that I have to fulfill. Still, though, I swear that I won't let my fate make me give up hope of seeing you — no matter how much I feel like it sometimes. It's **your** face that comes into my mind, Ginny; seeing you always brings hope back into my life._

_I just hope that if_

_I mean_

_When I come back to you, Gin, I hope that you like the man I've become. I've changed so much, inside and out. There are some days that I feel so hollow. I'll need your help to recover … will you bring me back into the real world?_

_I'm I'm rambling_

_I LOVE YOU!_

_Harry_

_**One by one I hear the soft words that you whispered**_

_**One by one I feel your kisses soft and sweet**_

_**One by one I hope you'll say the words to marry**_

_**One by one to one by one forever be**_

He could smell flowers…

Surely, he thought, he must have died; the flowers smelled so fresh, and yet so soft, and he believed that a scent so — _ethereal — _was something to be found only in heaven. Soon, however, he began to hear a faint whisper, echoing insistently in the back of his mind. _Harry_, it said, _I love you… please, come back to me._

He went black again.

And then he felt something wet on his skin. He could not lift his arm to wipe it off of his face. He tried opening his eyes to see what it was, but his lids felt too heavy. Tears, he wondered; were they what the wetness was? Tears and, perhaps, kisses, too. Once more, his mind drifted slowly towards blackness.

And then there were the flowers again…

_Harry, love…_

_Harry, please, wake up… please… _

"Please…"

A voice. A _lovely_ voice.

"Please, Harry… wake up_…_ I… I want to hear you say the words you wrote me…"

_I love you, Ginny, _he wanted to say —

"… and I want to tell you that I love you, too… I am still here for you… I'm waiting, for you, Harry, just like I told you I would be…"

He was floating towards slumber again, and he felt the tears fall onto his unmoving hands.

"No, Harry, _please_! Wake _up_! Harry… I have dreams, too; I want to marry you and have a family with you... We could live in a secluded little spot, and we would never be bothered ever again…"

One by one, his memories started flowing. One by one, his hands reached for hers. One by one, his eyes opened; one by one, he saw all the faces of those gathered around him. And one by one, those faces all realized that Harry Potter was awake.

One by one, tears of joy fell from down across their cheeks. One by one, smiles, growing brighter by the second, overcame the tears.

One by one, the days moved forward, and all of their lives were filled with the hope of a new day.


End file.
